[41chev]

All right kids, what the heck is the deal with silver metallic paint? I have painted several cars in the past with a pretty good success rate until now.....
I painted a truck yesterday and it looked ok until I rolled it into the sun today! You can see every spray pattern, every pass, everything!!
My question is will these patterns color sand out? It has three good coats of acrylic-enamel (PPG DelStar) applied about 25 minutes apart. I was thinking of hitting it with wet 2000 – 2500 then some Meguiar’s #7 Glaze. I am sure this will give me a deep gloss but will it remove the weird spray patterns?
Thanks! You Guys Rock!!

-Max

 

[Halloweenking]

Max, bad news, the patterns won't sand out. The condition you ran into is called "tiger stripping", don't feel bad its happened to everyone first time spraying mettalic. Because the paint has metal flake in it the flake will rest at the pattern you apply it in, wet sanding will only desterb the metal flake and make it worse. Tiger striping as usually caused by your spraying technique/pattern. Sraying metalics isn't easy, its only two competiters in difficulty is pearls and the new kamelion paint(to me). When spraying mettalics technique is the key, different painters have different ones, I find laying a thick coat overlapping the spray pattern about 1/4 usually then a full thin uniform coat usually solves the problem, but that is only me. Practice, you'll find your way. Hope you get it worked out.

I need to learn to proofread

HK

[ November 21, 2002: Message edited by: Halloweenking ]</p>

 

[Weimer]

A local paintshop guy told me that the Kamelion/Harlequin paints was the easiest to work with because there are NO pigments in the paint...he said it was the most forgiving.
He says that you get your collor combos from the different colored metallics that makes up the paint.I have no experience with this yet though so I can only go on what he told me.
He also said touch-ups are pretty much childs play when it comes to matching up the old with the new.
Later,
WEIMER

 

[Halloweenking]

Well he may think its easy, but I think its a pain in the ars, given; I've only sprayed it twice and may not have learned how or gotten used to it, but it was a pain in the ars for me. Wouldn't be the first time I can't do something others think is simple. <img src="graemlins/drunk.gif" border="0" alt="[drunk]" />

HK

 

[Will's41]

With acrylic-enamel I find that you must have reducer in the proper temp range. Following my last uniform coat I increase the air preasure and reduce the spray patern. Increase your distance and "dust" over the top kind of misting your overlap. This lets the flake lay on top and gives a very uniform spread. This will not work however if your reducers dry to fast (can you say orange peel), you must have the proper reducer. Of course practice helps.... <img src="graemlins/mwink.gif" border="0" alt="[mwink]" />

 

[dinger]

Wills 41 technique is what we used to do with the old lacquers to prevent the striping, we called it fogging. it also helps to vary your spray pattern with the coats , overlapping them to eliminate the stripe. Dan

 

[41chev]

I'm going to knock it down a little today and see what it looks like. Worst case, I'll fog another coat on and see what it looks like. Thanks!

 

[TurboS10]

Not that I am extremely experienced at this, but I usually dust a light coat over the panel right after the last full coat. I read in some book that this can help when using high metallics.

Chris

 

[Kevin45]

Ditto on Turbo and Dinger. With silvers and other high metallics, after the last wet coat you have to pull back the gun and either fog or mist (depends on what one wants to call it) the paint to get the metallic particles to fall evenly. I always hates silver but the gunmetal grays, and the light blues that are on the verge of silver are also a beetch. Whats bad with silver is if you ever do a panel repair. You are better off shooting the whole side. I see so many cars running around with a door, fender, or quarter a shade off. Sticks out like a sore thumb. Post some pics after you get it all complete. Were anxious to see.

Kevin

 

[TurboS10]

Funny you mention the bad blends running around. I can always see it, but noone else I know seems to notice. I think those of use who have done some painting get a eye for things like that.

Chris

 

[41chev]

Well, I color sanded a test area and had no luck. The colors vary worse the deeper I go. So... what now? I guess one more coat won't hurt things? From the suggestions, I gather one wet coat and light fog will sort things out. I think I can expect some orange peel with the fog coat but it must be better than tiger stripes! Any suggestions on prep for this next coat four days later?
Thanks

 

[goldstarr]

I find that if you thin the paint out with a slower reducer and stand back and fog til you cant see to get out of the booth. everything melds together and the metflakes even out. this is very simple and you will be amazed at how it comes out. Try it on an old panel and see.

 

[[email protected]]

Hear goldstarr. He speak with golden tongue.

 

[TurboS10]

I thought that the fog thing would cause orange peel also, but it doesnt IF you use a slow reducer. That is key. A slow reducer will allow it to melt in to the existing coat before it drys and causes the orange peel. I would also check the pressure on your gun to make sure it is totally atomized.

Chris

 

[waltmail]

If I am interpreting your description of the finished product , I am guessing that you have metallic sag and / or " marbleling ". Is this single stage or base coat/ clear coat. If it is single stage, this is common. Metal flake sag or accumulation happens with high flake content . Some paint suppliers add too much flake to the mix when they mix up your paint for you. You need to be aware of the high content and constantly mix your source / supply before dunmping into the gun cannister. While you are spraying, repeatedly take time to mix the contents in the gun. As for marbleing, that can be taken care of on the final coat. The final coat should be a light misting coat holding the gun almost 2 feet from the surface. First coat light, second coat wet in the opposite direction. 3rd coat ( if necessary ) opposite direction from second. Final coat, cut down on volume and hold gun 1 1/2 to 2 feet from surface and mist the surface. This final coat will smoothe everything out. I have never encountered any marbleing in base coat clear coat, but you can do the same thing on your final base coat if you encounter marbelling. If the metallic sag is extreme add reducer quickly to the mix and spray lightly to soften the paint and hopefully move it around to an even pattern. The marbleing and metallic sag is quite common.

 

[Reisart]

Silver Paint and other Metallics

Something that has worked for me is painting at a 45 degree angle to your normal horizontal movement. Used this method on on several Chrysler products. Worked real well. Helps to keep the metallics in place.

 

[302 Z28]

The advice waltmail gives you is right on the money. The first car I ever painted was a 69 Camaro Z/28 clone. I read everything I could get my hands on about spraying silver metallic, and talked to anyone who would listen. The best advice I got, and what I feel contributed to my great silver paint job was keep the contents in the gun agitated. After every pass I would back off a little and shake the gun before making another pass. When I needed to refill the gun I would stir my mixed paint profusly before adding it to the gun canister. I seemed to take forever to paint that Camaro, but it really came out nice.

Vince

 

[4 Jaw Chuck]

Every metallic I have ever sprayed was fogged on until the panel was covered solid and then a medium wet coat was applied to even out the flake and to get the shine and allow the paint to flow out, I didn't know there was any other way to do it.

Works perfectly but your overspray percentage goes through the roof, still the only way to do it if you ask me. Same goes for candy etc.

 

[haaslyd]

metalic spray

Now I now this is off the subject but you posted a reply today about your 305 tpi. it's a one piece rear main seal or post 86. it has a hydralic cam and lifters. now heads from pre 86 will bolton but you will need matching intake and valve covers.

My cousin and I sprayed red metalic on red and hadno idea what we were doing. so my cousin just went for it and we didn't get any "tiger" striping. what is the deal with that.

 

[Sub_Urban_454]

I thought the correct term for that was modeling. you need long flash times for metalics if youre doing this in a garage or something you need a fast reducer. we use standox where i work and we have to ways to mix base, one for blend jobs and one for over alls (full paint jobs) the stuff for over alls has more body using thicker pigments. And BTW for all you old schoolers that still think they use "METAL" flakes. they havent used real metal since the early 80's. why do you think all the old metalic cars are a rusty mess now. the sun hits the metalics and burned micro holes in the paint letting water through. its all plastics now. not to be a smart ***.:drunk: